Museum Passes in Italy

4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October. On-line
searches have not turned up convenient museum passes like I have seen in
other places. In fact, some sites have horrendous handling fees (60% of the
entrance fee). Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have
recommendations for best acquiring museum tickets?

Thanks,

George

"George Broze" wrote...
4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October.
On-line searches have not turned up convenient museum
passes like I have seen in other places. In fact, some sites
have horrendous handling fees (60% of the entrance fee).
Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have recommendations for
best acquiring museum tickets?

Check out http://www.weekendafirenze.com/index.php
Its what I used for Florence+Rome. I'd avoid buying the
Venice Card. Unless you are intent on seeing a large number
of museums in Venice, its not a good deal.

may I recommend www.casacimabue.it in Florence
it is a B&B conveniently located.
prices are cheap compared to Florence's standards.
rooms are big and nice
can accomodate 3
"George Broze" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October. On-line
searches have not turned up convenient museum passes like I have seen in
other places. In fact, some sites have horrendous handling fees (60% of the
entrance fee). Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have
recommendations for best acquiring museum tickets?

Thanks,

George

Rog',

The weekendafirenze site also charges 60% for online reservations. For the
Uffizi gallery, Eu 9.50 becomes Eu 15.20 per ticket.

Is that the best I can expect?

Thanks,

G

"Rog'" wrote in message
...

"George Broze" wrote...
4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October.
On-line searches have not turned up convenient museum
passes like I have seen in other places. In fact, some sites
have horrendous handling fees (60% of the entrance fee).
Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have recommendations for
best acquiring museum tickets?

Check out http://www.weekendafirenze.com/index.php
Its what I used for Florence+Rome. I'd avoid buying the
Venice Card. Unless you are intent on seeing a large number
of museums in Venice, its not a good deal.

In article , George Broze
wrote:

Rog',

The weekendafirenze site also charges 60% for online reservations. For the
Uffizi gallery, Eu 9.50

At times, with a 2 hour wait to get in.


becomes Eu 15.20 per ticket.

With a 5 min wait to get in.

jay
Wed Jul 20, 2005




Is that the best I can expect?

Thanks,

G

"Rog'" wrote in message
...

"George Broze" wrote...
4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October.
On-line searches have not turned up convenient museum
passes like I have seen in other places. In fact, some sites
have horrendous handling fees (60% of the entrance fee).
Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have recommendations for
best acquiring museum tickets?

Check out http://www.weekendafirenze.com/index.php
Its what I used for Florence+Rome. I'd avoid buying the
Venice Card. Unless you are intent on seeing a large number
of museums in Venice, its not a good deal.

George=A0Broze wrote:

The weekendafirenze site also charges
60% for online reservations. For the Uffizi
gallery, Eu 9.50 becomes Eu 15.20 per
ticket.
Is that the best I can expect?

A walk-up ticket is =806.50 but the Uffizi does charge a fee for
reserved tickets.
A few years ago it was =801.5 but *perhaps* it's now =803 which would
make weekendafirenze's cost =809.50.
You have 2 other options: Many Florence hotels will book the tickets
for you, email them and ask.
Or call the Uffizi's booking service, but you will have to pay the
reservation fee
plus the phone call.
http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en...zi/Default.asp Regards, Walter



...And Paradise Was Lost...like teardrops in the rain...

In Rome the 2 biggies for long lines are the Vatican Museums and the
Colosseum.
For the Vatican Museums I've *heard* that if you book with a large
commercial tour group, a small expensive tour group or with an official
Vatican tour you can skip the queue. There are no advance ticket sales
to individuals.
You can also get there early ~1hr before opening or go ~noonish to
avoid the long lines.

For the Colosseum, below is a past post of mine that will get you past
the long line.

In October I wouldn't worry too much about long queues at other sites or
museums.

They do have a pass which includes 5 sites and 2 museums.
The Colosseum & Palatine Hill, The Baths of Caracalla, Crypta Balbi,
Tomb of Cecilia Metella (out past the Catacombs).
And the 2 museums are the Palazzo Altemps and Museo Nazionale Romano
Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian-museum). Regards, Walter

You can avoid the *long* Colosseum lines if you buy your tickets at
the Palatine Hill.
The same ticket/same price is valid for both sites on the same day. Also
if bought either after 1 or 2PM (it will say on back of the ticket) it's
valid for the next day to that same time.
=A0=A0There are 2 ticket offices for the Palatine Hill. One in the Roman
Forum and the other on street that runs along the eastside of the
Palatine Hill.
Go to www.capitolium.org/eng/fori/pianta.htm See the '1' now look alttle
below it and to the left. See a building with 2 reddish/brown roofs.
That is the entrance to the Palatine Hill from the Roman Forum and the
ticket office is below it. One option is to explore the Forum and work
your way up to the Arch of Titus (which is '1') and then over to that
bldg, buy your tickets and then either go up to the Palatine or over to
the Colosseum. This ticket office might have a line but definitely
shorter than the Colosseum. Easy to find, you'll see people walking over
to it in the Forum.
=A0Still looking at the map website this photo
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/085_059B.HTM was taken between
the '1' which is the Arch of Titus and the building with the
reddish/brown roof above it which houses the Forum Museum (Antiquarium
Forense). On the leftside of the photo between the trees you can see the
ticket bldg and above it the bldg I mentioned earlier with the 2 roofs
on the map. This is what you will see if walking up the Via Sacra from
the Roman Forum to the Arch of Titus
www.ntimages.com/Italy/Rome/forum2palatine.jpg
The 2nd ticket office with no lines is on Via di San Gregorio, see that
street on the map website above. The ticket office is where that little
'cul-de-sac' is to the left of the 'eg' in Gregorio.
=A0=A0(www.travelcreek.com/constantine.jpg
=A0=A0this photo was taken from the Colosseum, it's that street behind
the Arch of Constantine in the distance, the ticket office is ~300m from
the Colosseum).
=A0=A0With your ticket you just go to the left of the long Colosseum
line and enter the Colosseum, in ~50m you'll come to the ticket
turnstiles.
=A0=A0And now for some really important info! W.C./toilet locations .
Starting at the top of the map. See the 'L.go Corrado Ricci', that's the
main entrance to the Forum. At the entrance gate is a small bldg on the
left with a w.c., book & gift shop (I don't know if they still rent the
audioguides, if not they will be at the Info bldg which is next).
=A0=A0See to the right on the 'L.go' on the street there is an 'circled
I', that's the Forum's tourist info bldg. It has a w.c., snackbar,
guidebooks and some scheduled tours and possibly the Forum audioguides.
=A0=A0Further to the right is an 'M' which is a metro station with a
w.c.
=A0=A0Inside the Colosseum after the ticket turnstiles and after the 1st
entrance into the arena area there is a w.c. Also outside the Colosseum
on the map it's just above 'Colosseo' there is a w.c. by the stairs
leading up to the street's sidewalk.
=A0The Forum Museum nearby the Arch of Titus also has a public w.c. that
they might let you use if you ask.
=A0In the Forum behind the Basilica Julia and on the map to the left of
'10' there is a w.c. The ancient brick ruins (2 piers) right in front of
this w.c. are from a monumental arch which was once faced in marble. The
w.c. is built over the street that this arch crossed over and was called
the 'Vicus Unguentarius' or the Street of the Perfume Sellers
http://www.sionmc.com/Rome/forumw/im...hindbasjul.jpg. =A0 =A0
=A0On the Palatine Hill number '23' is the Palatino Museum with a w.c.
And the 2nd Palatine Hill entrance on Via di San Gregorio has a w.c.
=A0=A0Also on the path to the right of these bldgs on the Hill mentioned
above www.ntimages.com/Italy/Rome/forum2palatine.jpg these is a low
completely shrub covered bldg on the left with a w.c. If looking on the
map website it would be to the left.

Our hotel in Florence organised booked Uffizi entrance timea when we
arrived in Florence- we merely went to thye booked tours line, paid &
entered There was a small queue, but we were inside within five minutes or
so

Sandra
lurking in Adelaide
"George Broze" wrote in message
...
Rog',

The weekendafirenze site also charges 60% for online reservations. For the
Uffizi gallery, Eu 9.50 becomes Eu 15.20 per ticket.

Is that the best I can expect?

Thanks,

G

"Rog'" wrote in message
...

"George Broze" wrote...
4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October.
On-line searches have not turned up convenient museum
passes like I have seen in other places. In fact, some sites
have horrendous handling fees (60% of the entrance fee).
Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have recommendations for
best acquiring museum tickets?

Check out http://www.weekendafirenze.com/index.php
Its what I used for Florence+Rome. I'd avoid buying the
Venice Card. Unless you are intent on seeing a large number
of museums in Venice, its not a good deal.

Only the huge lines at Musei Vaticani will prevent you to visit all the
museum..
some of the rooms close at earlier times..
if you are too late. you will not have time to see everything
I could not visit the etruscan part of Musei Vaticani.. as it closed at
14.00
I guess that both Uffizi and Musei Vaticani are the most visited museums in
Italy.
I have been in Florence last week and was surprised that lines were not so
huge as they used to be.
Both in Rome and Florence there is a London Bus that takes you around for a
reasonable charge.
In rome you will have to be in a huge line for that bus.
in Florence the bus is normally almost empty.
"Poetic Justice" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
In Rome the 2 biggies for long lines are the Vatican Museums and the
Colosseum.
For the Vatican Museums I've *heard* that if you book with a large
commercial tour group, a small expensive tour group or with an official
Vatican tour you can skip the queue. There are no advance ticket sales
to individuals.
You can also get there early ~1hr before opening or go ~noonish to
avoid the long lines.

For the Colosseum, below is a past post of mine that will get you past
the long line.

In October I wouldn't worry too much about long queues at other sites or
museums.

They do have a pass which includes 5 sites and 2 museums.
The Colosseum & Palatine Hill, The Baths of Caracalla, Crypta Balbi,
Tomb of Cecilia Metella (out past the Catacombs).
And the 2 museums are the Palazzo Altemps and Museo Nazionale Romano
Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian-museum). Regards, Walter

You can avoid the *long* Colosseum lines if you buy your tickets at
the Palatine Hill.
The same ticket/same price is valid for both sites on the same day. Also
if bought either after 1 or 2PM (it will say on back of the ticket) it's
valid for the next day to that same time.
There are 2 ticket offices for the Palatine Hill. One in the Roman
Forum and the other on street that runs along the eastside of the
Palatine Hill.
Go to www.capitolium.org/eng/fori/pianta.htm See the '1' now look alttle
below it and to the left. See a building with 2 reddish/brown roofs.
That is the entrance to the Palatine Hill from the Roman Forum and the
ticket office is below it. One option is to explore the Forum and work
your way up to the Arch of Titus (which is '1') and then over to that
bldg, buy your tickets and then either go up to the Palatine or over to
the Colosseum. This ticket office might have a line but definitely
shorter than the Colosseum. Easy to find, you'll see people walking over
to it in the Forum.
Still looking at the map website this photo
http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/085_059B.HTM was taken between
the '1' which is the Arch of Titus and the building with the
reddish/brown roof above it which houses the Forum Museum (Antiquarium
Forense). On the leftside of the photo between the trees you can see the
ticket bldg and above it the bldg I mentioned earlier with the 2 roofs
on the map. This is what you will see if walking up the Via Sacra from
the Roman Forum to the Arch of Titus
www.ntimages.com/Italy/Rome/forum2palatine.jpg
The 2nd ticket office with no lines is on Via di San Gregorio, see that
street on the map website above. The ticket office is where that little
'cul-de-sac' is to the left of the 'eg' in Gregorio.
(www.travelcreek.com/constantine.jpg
this photo was taken from the Colosseum, it's that street behind
the Arch of Constantine in the distance, the ticket office is ~300m from
the Colosseum).
With your ticket you just go to the left of the long Colosseum
line and enter the Colosseum, in ~50m you'll come to the ticket
turnstiles.
And now for some really important info! W.C./toilet locations .
Starting at the top of the map. See the 'L.go Corrado Ricci', that's the
main entrance to the Forum. At the entrance gate is a small bldg on the
left with a w.c., book & gift shop (I don't know if they still rent the
audioguides, if not they will be at the Info bldg which is next).
See to the right on the 'L.go' on the street there is an 'circled
I', that's the Forum's tourist info bldg. It has a w.c., snackbar,
guidebooks and some scheduled tours and possibly the Forum audioguides.
Further to the right is an 'M' which is a metro station with a
w.c.
Inside the Colosseum after the ticket turnstiles and after the 1st
entrance into the arena area there is a w.c. Also outside the Colosseum
on the map it's just above 'Colosseo' there is a w.c. by the stairs
leading up to the street's sidewalk.
The Forum Museum nearby the Arch of Titus also has a public w.c. that
they might let you use if you ask.
In the Forum behind the Basilica Julia and on the map to the left of
'10' there is a w.c. The ancient brick ruins (2 piers) right in front of
this w.c. are from a monumental arch which was once faced in marble. The
w.c. is built over the street that this arch crossed over and was called
the 'Vicus Unguentarius' or the Street of the Perfume Sellers
http://www.sionmc.com/Rome/forumw/im...hindbasjul.jpg.
On the Palatine Hill number '23' is the Palatino Museum with a w.c.
And the 2nd Palatine Hill entrance on Via di San Gregorio has a w.c.
Also on the path to the right of these bldgs on the Hill mentioned
above www.ntimages.com/Italy/Rome/forum2palatine.jpg these is a low
completely shrub covered bldg on the left with a w.c. If looking on the
map website it would be to the left.

If you plan to go to the Borghese in Rome you definitely need advance
reservations. They limit the numbers of visitors in any single time
period. You make the reservation online and they give you a 2 hour
time period for viewing. You have to arrive at least 30 mins before
your scheduled time. You pay on arrival. If you don't show, they
strike you from the list. If you haven't been there it's worth
devoting the time to it - the Bernini sculptures are amazing...walking
through the gardens is a nice respite form the busy streets of the
city.

http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edefault.htm


On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 04:22:25 GMT, "George Broze"
wrote:

4 of us will travel to Florence, Venice and Rome in October. On-line
searches have not turned up convenient museum passes like I have seen in
other places. In fact, some sites have horrendous handling fees (60% of the
entrance fee). Does anyone know of passes in those cities or have
recommendations for best acquiring museum tickets?

Thanks,

George